Dem Rep. Jayapal Suggests It Doesn’t Matter that Mamdani Can’t Deliver on His Promises

Sanchez: “Voters in several states are casting ballots right now in the first major election of President Donald Trump’s second term. The race for mayor of New York City is generating nationwide attention with Republicans trying to cast Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as the new face of the Democratic Party. Let’s get some perspective from Washington State Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. She’s also the chair of the — chair emeritus I should say — of the Progressive Caucus and was out canvassing for Mamdani yesterday telling voters that he is electrifying the country. Congresswoman, thank you so much for sharing part of your afternoon with us. I want to start by getting your thoughts on some of the attacks that we’ve seen on Mamdani’s proposals as being misleading or misguided. You have his rival former Governor Andrew Cuomo making the case that, for example, a mayor legally cannot unilaterally freeze the rent broadly on units across New York City. Further, that free busing and universal child care would require action be on the local level at the state legislature. I wonder how you respond to the assertion that he’s making promises that he won’t be able to follow up on, that he can’t keep.”
Jayapal: “Listen, Boris, thanks for having me on. Andrew Cuomo is a disgraced former governor. I don’t think he’s the one we should be listening to about what’s possible and what isn’t possible. What I really believe is that Zohran Mamdani has shown that when you stand up and fight for people and when you commit to getting something done, that you can build a winning campaign and do the work to actually deliver those results. Now, I know there’s a lot of times when people tell us that the ideas that we have aren’t possible, but I think what you are seeing is people across New York City and across the country in races across the country, people are saying we need you to stand up and fight for us and deliver for us, and we will be there to support you in that endeavor. So I think that’s what he’s done. He’s constructed an incredible campaign around affordability issues that New Yorkers really care about, and he is putting together the team that will be able to govern and deliver those things. And yes, it’s going to require a lot of work, a lot of partnerships, but I have a lot of faith in him to deliver on that as well.”